The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-02
BIRDS OF DOMESTIC HABITS.
Some of the Strange Ways of the Play
full Martin and His Love of a Joke.
Where the Assemblies of the Martin Family
Are Held in This Region-Their Annual
Exodus South on August IL.

dwellings. Wherever an invitation is extended
him in the shape of box or place under the
caves. however rude uncouth, he will come
and take possession. Shakespeare who calls
him this guest of summer the 'martlet.' saws
in Macbeth:
sNo iutty frieze
Buttress, nor coigne of vantage. but this bird
Hath made its pendent bed and procreant cradle:
w here they ost breed and haunt, have observd,
The air is delicate.
And how grateful he is for his welcome, mani
Testing his gratitude by motions of his jaunty
head and gesticulations of mis- wings and trim
little body. Unless the season is much delayed
they will return annually on the same day each
recurring March. They come from the sunny
South to our cooler CLINE when the first bios
SONS of the violet and creeper show above the
ground. and on every sunny day sing and MARBLE
the sweetest twittering song-so many notes
from high to shrill, never coarse, and always
looking for an appreciative audience, whether of
their own kind or of sympathizing human
friends And the greater the number OF their
audience the greater the effort they will make,
seeming to direct their twittering melody direct
ly to their audience. They know their songs
are good and oughtto be appreciated.
Before the settlement Of the country their
nests and homes were in some hollow limb of a
tree. and even after the space of fifty years
small commemorative assemblies gathered at
their ancient homes, although no longer occupied
by them. The same family returns annually to
the same locality, and as consequence, one
flock or colony, the migration of which is to
Louisiana or Mexico, will return at the usual fixed
time Other families of martins whose miera-
ton is to greater distance, say to southern
Mexico or Central America will return eight or
nine days afterwards At my own home in
Vernllllon county neighbor's martins
always returned nine days later in
the spring than mine and he was somewhat
jealous and demanded an explanation The same
individuals would return, for martins have hab-
Its and idlosyncrasies by which they NAV be
recognized. My own family of martins had De-
culiar habits. differing from the birds that
quartered with my ne;ghbors One of nv birds
seemed to be fond of practical jokes. When any
one of the family would shake white cloth out
OF doors or move broom about briskly, this
martin, after brief twitter and ruff
fling of his feathers, would sweep down.
darting very near them-very startling
to the women folks-and then return
to his box, where he would indulge in rollick-
ing twitter. rs If convulsed with the Joke of
having frightened some one On one occasion.
when lnnocently shaking cloth On nv veranda.
l was told to take care the old martin would
come While taikina, he did come and startled
me greatly by darling within SIX inches of INV
face. He would now and then, have some snort
with my favorlte terrier. The dog, with his
ears and tail cooked up. with dudish assumption
OF Importance, would start across the yard,
wnen the feathered Joker would whirr
causing the terrier fright that the martin evil
IDENTITY enjoyed. Soon after, the dog would start
on another promenade, trying to keep an eye on
ms feathered tormenter. AS the terrier would
peeln TO feel satisfied that ne would be able to
make his circuit undisturbed, the martin would
snoot Gown from some unexpected quarter and.
brushing past the dog. scare him again.
;. AT one tlme there were many martins in In
oianapois. and no stable clubhouse was com.
pete without its martln-box perched aloft They
are scarcely ever seen about here now in the
season they visit US. The martins habit Of
darting at objects in motion was taken advan-
tage OF by boys to furnish a cruel sport. It was
noticed when playing ball that the martins, as
the ball went through the air or the
pat was swung, would dart at the NOV
ing object. Thereupon young America armed
with q broomstick, stationed himself on the COM
non. Swinging the stick the martins made the
attack, and as they darted at the moving clubs
the boys would strike and kill them This in |
hospltaole treatment may have had something
but that disgusting BIRD the English sparrow
completed the work. The martin is a brave bird
out the sparrows came like the host of Attila |
and he was swept away.
Inc male martin is of fine form. His plumace
Is blue black and irridescent Singing like steel
as he darts through the sunlight He is swift of
wing and full of acrobatic pranks and eesticnIa.
lions There is but little variation in their col |
ols, OUT IN 1916 an aibino or snow-white martin,
with pink eyes. was one of the attractions and |
wonders OF Terre Haute. Another albino martin |
was seen at Bloomington, Ind, the same wear
IL was the subject IF much comment as it sat
with It's dusky-feathered companions on the Gu
poia OF the courtho | neglected to say in |
my talk about crows that one of my boyhooG
memories was white crow. near Eugene this |
State that was leader of leader. l knew
him, as Tennyson says in Locksley Hail.
AS the many wntered crow that leads the clamoring
rcokery home.'
"The martins have a fellowship among them
selves so that when one is in trouble the others |
literally fly to his relief. Where wren or blue |
oird takes possession of martins home all his |
relaIlves come to his assistance to drive the in
truder out. or If necessary to stop I'D the door
way OF the invader. The martin has ONLY good |
qualities. 1t does no harm to fruit grain or |
flower. being simply true and thorough entom-
oioglst ana - making his collections he is often
of incalcplable benefit to the farmer and car
dener He 10 a jolly fellow at dusk when
1.-THE cares that nfest the day
Shall fold up their tents like the arabs
And as silently steal away.
1t is then that he comes out, and circlng
under the darkening vault of heaven, minples |
In his aerial WRITINGS with the whippoorwill. |
picking ND frefies and other insects of the |
night
THE brooding time closes about the 1st of |
august BY that time most of the nesters have
been trained 10 fly and given the elementary
education of bird life. They have made ac- |
auaintance with surrounding families of martins.
and indulge in daily visits. By the 9Th of |
August district assemblies are convened at |
favorite points throughout the country Within |
the past few years the styles of architecture have
favored the martins, and the assemblies are |
made in cities under some wide cornices In |
ferre Haute favorite place is at the Buckeye |
store corner In Indianapolis from about the 18th
OF July to about the 9Th of August at Hubbard's |
Block, and at about the same time in Lafayette |
at the Beehive store, and SO on for other cities
IN Indiana. Their convocation is attended by |
constant twitter and chatter in the forenart Of !
the night, confused murmer of many voices |
with sudden and startling whirrng Of wings fill
ing the air. These district assemblies are but |